Back in August, word got around that Green Party candidate Jill Stein was at one time half of a forgettable-at-best alt-folk-rock duo called Somebody’s Sister, which sounded like… well, a “barefoot Christian rock group striving to capture a Sheryl Crow vibe,” according to the Stranger’s Rich Smith. He is not wrong! Somebody’s Sister somehow released four records full of vaguely protest-y, […]

When Elizabeth Weinbloom was running for Ward 6 Alderman last fall, she called herself “the U-Haul version of an ambulance chaser.” As hoards of renters set upon their new (and likely temporary) homes, she was eager to introduce herself and suggest they register to vote. Somerville is a city of renters, with up to two-thirds […]

Set your alarms or pencil it in: Tomorrow is election day. While there aren’t too many hotly contested seats (Ward 6 is a competition we’ll be keeping our eye on), it’s still important to exercise your civic duty. There are a number of resources on the city’s website that show you where to go—you can […]

“No matter what happens I will have had a role in shifting the conversation and making affordable housing be the big issue in this campaign,” says Elizabeth Weinbloom. She snuck onto Tuesday’s ballot with a sliver margin of 20 votes in September. With no experience in politics, and as a younger woman who rents, her election would […]

Election season isn’t aways exciting in Somerville—after all, this is a town whose mayor has run uncontested since 2007. But this year, another level of government is about to get interesting. Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz announced late this spring that she will not be seeking reelection for the office she held for a decade, […]

Every year, journalists, activists and vigilant citizens get together for Sunshine Week, a celebration of government transparency through public records and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). In light of the occasion, we’re taking a look back at some of the Somerville-related documents that were made public by MuckRock, an open government news organization that helps people complete public records […]

Somerville will hold its municipal elections on Tuesday, November 5. Along with School Committee elections, there’s a tight race for the Board of Aldermen this year and your vote makes a difference. Not sure who to vote for? We asked every candidate for alderman – challengers, incumbents and those running unopposed – to answer one […]

BY ADAM VACCARO Ward 5 alderman Sean O’Donovan will step down from the Board of Aldermen this evening, nominating Courtney O’Keefe to take his place for the remainder of his term. Members of the board were told about the decision last night, according to a number of sources familiar with the board. The information was […]

Alderman elections are just around the corner, folks. Time to get to know a little bit about some of the candidates poised to take care of business in the city. Here are some candidates who have already announced they will run for Alderman in their respective wards.

In a span of 10 seconds, more than 30 cars pass a patrol vehicle stationed in Union Square. Without the officer inside lifting a finger, a system installed in her vehicle snaps pictures of each passing license plate and compares them against lists of wanted and unregistered vehicles. If one of the vehicles is a […]

On Oct. 24, the Board of Aldermen’s Confirmation of Appointment’s Committee met to approve Mayor Joe Curtatone’s appointments and reappointments to city commissions. Of the 48 commissioners that came to the committee, 47 were approved. Those 47 were then all confirmed by the Board of Aldermen the next night. Barry Rafkind, a five-year member […]